Despite being declared extinguished in 1994, a new study on its eating habits points out that the desert mouse can still be alive in the Australian desert.
A new survey by researchers at the University of Flinders rekindled the hopes that the Desertonce considered extinct, it may still be alive in the hard and remote desert of Stut Stony.
Scientifically known as Caloprymnus campestristhis dodging marsupial was declared extinguished for a long timebut the new discoveries about their eating habits point to the possibility of rediscovering the species.
The researchers analyzed the skulls of several small marsupials to better understand the kangaroo diet. In studying the biomechanics of the bite, they managed to determine that the animal probably consumed a diet of softer plant materialinstead of the hardest foods that was supposed.
Rex Mitchell, the lead author of the study at the Journal of Experimental Biology, noted that the robust skull characteristics were suitable for eating softer foods despite their larger size. This discovery has important implications for identifying the areas where species may still be hidden.
Although it was officially declared extinguished in 1994with the last specimen collected in 1930, unconfirmed reports of sightings in the Eyre Lake Basin, in the far north of Southern Australia, fueled the speculation that the desert mouse mouse could still exist.
The extinction of the species is attributed to factors such as predation by invasive species (foxes and cats), rabbits competition, excess cattle and mismanagement of fires, which devastated their natural habitat, says.
The new study focuses on the species diet and offers a more refined approach to search efforts. The desert ratura mouse was known for consuming mainly leaves, and researchers now suggest that plants with softer and more affordable foliage They can be key areas to monitor.
Through advanced computer modeling and finite element analysis (FEA), researchers tested the animal’s skulls compared to other marsupials to understand how the form of the skull influences behavior to bite. This investigation not only offers a view of desert kangaroo eating habits, but also provides broader applications to animal behavior, conservation and evolutionary studies.
Although the fate of the desert remain uncertainThese new discoveries are a sign of hope that the small marsupial may still be prospering, hidden in the remote desert regions of Australia.
